‘I’m just really grateful‘: Biden pardons 3 Minnesotans convicted of nonviolent crimes
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President Joe Biden Thursday pardoned 39 people and commuted nearly 1,500 prison sentences.
The pardons include three Minnesotans who pleaded guilty to nonviolent offenses and have spent years serving their communities after finishing their sentences.
That includes 49-year-old Sarah Carlson of Coon Rapids — who the White House said, in a statement, “goes above and beyond to help as many people in crisis as possible.”
Carlson spoke with MPR News host Tom Crann on “All Things Considered” about her pardon.
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Below is a transcript of their conversation, edited for clarity.
Tell us when you found out and and what your reaction was.
I was at work yesterday, and Jessica, who was a law student at St. Thomas, working alongside Mark Osler and helping me fill out my application for pardon, for clemency, she called me and told me. I was in shock, excited. There’s no words to describe all the emotions I was feeling at that time.
People might be surprised there’s an application process, and it’s a process that goes on for a while. So how does your name get to the White House?
Well, it was about a yearlong process with the law students at St. Thomas, and we filled out that application. And there was a lot of interviews and going back and forth and getting it just perfect, and then sending it in. And we sent it in in 2020, right when COVID-19 happened. It wasn’t a priority at that time for the president to look at pardons, and so I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen.
What do you want people to know about your story?
Well, I had 20 years of addiction. My last three years of it were homeless. I lost my kids to the system. It was a destructive lifestyle. And when I got this charge, I went into treatment at Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge that changed my life, reconnecting with God and I haven’t left there. I’ve been there since 2011.
I’ve worked in a lot of different positions there, but now I’m now a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. My husband also went through the program. He’s also a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. My daughter went through the program. She’s also a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. So there’s just been this big ripple effect in our family, and in our community.
I serve all over the place, and I’m just really grateful, and I feel like because of the things I’ve gone through and got set free from I have a lot to offer people in the same situation, and I really enjoy doing that.
What calls you to continue in that work?
It’s life-giving. It’s enjoyable. I love going to work every day. I love working at Minnesota Teen Challenge. It’s like a family, and it’s also a church community. It’s a recovery community. And, you know, we all love each other and we love our clients.
What does a pardon from the president allow you to do in the future?
Well, I mean, there’s no barriers to employment or housing, you know, if I ever wanted to go hunting again, I could do that. I probably wouldn’t anymore, but just all of your rights are restored, and so mostly it’s just complete restoration of everything in my life. This was the last thing that was a reminder of that and I’m just really grateful.
